The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ending on January 17 for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 registered a decrease of 0.33 percent compared to the previous week.
The SPI for the week under review for the above mentioned group was recorded at 185.84 points against 186.45 points registered in the previous week, according to provisional figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The weekly SPI has been computed with base year as 2007-2008, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.
The SPI for the combined group decreased by 0.41 percent as it went down from 191.79 points in the previous week to 191.01 points in the week under review. As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 7.31 percent. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001-12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs 35,000 decreased by 0.36 percent, 0.40 percent, 0.43 and 0.43 percent respectively.
During the week under review average prices of 7 items registered decrease, while that of 23 items saw an increase with the remaining 23 items’ prices unchanged. The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, egg hen (farm), potatoes, chicken live (farm), onions, red chillies (powder) and mash pulse (washed).
The items which recorded increase in their average prices included bananas, georgette, shirting, moong pulse (washed), salt powdered (loose), wheat, gram pulse (washed), energy saver, masoor pulse (washed), rice (irri-6), vegetable ghee (loose), bread (plain), LPG, rice (basmati broken), firewood, lawn, cooking oil (tin), sugar, garlic, gur, long cloth, mutton, wheat and flour (bag).
The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, vegetable ghee (tin), tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked pulse, tea (prepared), cigarettes, sandal (gents), chappal (gents), sandal (ladies), electric charges, gas charges, kerosene oil, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap.
